8 January 2013

Tattoo & Piercing After Care

After care. It’s probably not the first thing you think of
when getting a new tattoo or piercing, but I know from experience just how
important proper after care is. I remember when I got my first piercing how
nervous I was about how to look after it once it had been done – It was my
first piercing, I had no idea what to do or how to look after it. When I got my
first tattoo, I remember urgently asking the tattooist to tell me what to do
afterwards, more so in hope of being reassured that it would be OK. Unfortunately
for me, where the advice for after care of my first piercing had been spot on,
the advice for my first tattoo had not. So today I am going to run you through
some products which I have tried over the years, for both tattoos and
piercings, and hope you don’t make any of the mistakes I did!

My very first tattoo was the outline of a star on my left
upper wrist. I know, original right? I expected it to hurt so much and was
pretty surprised when it was done that I hadn't collapsed in fits of tears
pleading with the Gods to bring me back from the hell pit of pain I expected.
Tattoos are painful, but they are not as painful as I thought they would be.
Sure, some places are a hell of a lot more sensitive than others, but you get
over it. After my first tattoo I was sent off with the after care advice of ‘wash
it and put Vaseline on’. Oh yes, that is really the extend of the advice I
received. If only I had known…

Vaseline is a terrible product to use on tattoos. It is not
a tattoo after care product; it does nothing to look after your tattoo. Using Vaseline on your tattoos can blur the lining of tattoos, causing blurring, as well as
lessen the colour. The first product I moved on to after Vaseline was an utter
dream, and it’s still a firm favourite of mine too.

Aptly named Tattoo Aftercare, it comes in a teeny tiny clear
pot with a teal lid. It is a 3-in-1 product which soothes, moisturisers and
maintains the quality of your tattoo, keeping colour vibrant. It contains
natural ingredients, extra vitamin E and is suitable for all skin types. Its
BUAV approved – which means it’s cruelty free! And it doesn't contain
petroleum, alcohol, parabens or preservatives. It’s an all-round lovely balm
for tattoo after-care, and it also smells lovely! You just need a tiny bit, pop
it onto the tattooed area and massage in. And what’s even better, is a 10g tub
of this will last you several tattoos and only costs £2.49! You can find it on
the The Tattoo Shop website, here.

Another great product for tattoo after care and also a
hugely popular and better known brand is Tattoo Goo. It has a novelty name with
novelty packaging to match, but the product itself is pretty darn wonderful. It’s
97.5% natural, contains olive oil, cocoa butter and wheat germ oil, has a
vitamin enriched formula and is not only dermatologist approved, but pharmacist
approved too. It’s free of both lanolin and petroleum, doesn't clog the pores
of your skin which is very important with new tattoos and promotes a faster
healing time! This is available in 9.3g tins and also costs just £2.49 on the
The Tattooed Shop website, you can find it here!

I've been pretty lucky with my piercings over the years.
Most of them heal very well and I've only had a few reject (sometimes, our
bodies just don’t want to be pierced and will reject the piercing. If you have
any worries over a new piercing you should see your piercer as soon as possible
for a professional opinion) There are two ways in which I will look after a
piercing. If it is a mouth piercing, I will use a salt and warm water solution.
With other piercings I will use the Piercing Aftercare Solution. It is a liquid
solution which comes in a squeezer type bottle (similar to the format that eye
drops solution comes in) and you just pop a drop of it on to the fresh piercing
4-5 times a day. It’s suitable for all skin types and the internal dropper
makes sure it stays hygienic and germ free! It can be used on any exterior piercings,
and it can also be used when stretching your ears. It contains a blend of
active natural ingredients and vitamin goodness which work together to nourish
and enrich the skin. It’s gentle, effective and it won’t damage any of your
body jewellery. It’s also Vegan friendly, doesn't contain any parabens and also
costs just £2.49 for a 10ml bottle. You can find it on the The Tattoo Shop
website here.

I love tattoo goo, my artist gave it to me for free when I got mine done. It seems to last ages too (though that might be because I only have one small tattoo!) I've heard vaseline horror storys as well xo

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Thanks for stopping by! If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them here. I try to respond to comments as quickly as possible, but if you have an urgent question feel free to tweet me @TattooedTealady!